


Learning the steps.

by withoutwords



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Fluff, Humour, Light Angst, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, but mostly just fluff, some drunkenness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-22 21:31:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8301838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withoutwords/pseuds/withoutwords
Summary: 4 times Robert asks Aaron to dance (+1 time Aaron asks instead).





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm writing a longer, angsty piece at the moment and it's kicking my arse, so I indulged with fluff instead. Set in a pretty indistinct time line, around Robert moving in and through to Andy leaving. Thanks for reading x

Robert’s so drunk he practically tips out of the bar, his stupid big feet almost slipping out from under him. Aaron groans under the weight, Robert’s arm slung over his shoulder, and if he thinks he’s getting breakfast in the morning he’s got another thing coming. Aaron had to ward off women, men and security guards Robert managed to offend, he can bloody well make  _ Aaron _ breakfast.

“What a good night, did’ya have a good night?” Robert slurs chirpily, hot at Aaron’s ear. Aaron tuts at him, even if he’s too drunk to really care.

“Take it easy on the hard stuff next time, eh?” he grumbles, pushing Robert against a wall so he can rest there while they wait for their taxi. Things were going well at the yard, Liv was settling in well now, it had been as good a reason as any to go into town.

Now Aaron wishes they’d just stayed in with a movie and some curries. 

“I love you.” Aaron looks over to where Robert’s slumped, looking back and grinning so big Aaron’s almost ready to forgive him. He pockets his phone and turns to step up close to him. He pulls at Robert’s hem.

“I know.”

“I’m so glad you took me back,”

Aaron decides not to say,  _ I was right up until now _ , because it’s fleeting meanness, and it’s untrue. “Tell me in the morning.”

“Okay.” Robert pauses. “Hey, come here.”

He pulls Aaron flush against him by his jumper and then wraps both arms around his shoulders. He’s a little steadier on his feet this time, swaying a little, and humming into Aaron’s ear. “What are you doing?”

“Dancing,” Robert says with a sigh, and, defeated, Aaron curls his own arms around, fingers digging into Robert’s back. He’s booze-warm and he smells so good here, at the collar, and Aaron just lets it all fall away.

“I don’t think that’s what this is,” he feels the need to say, softly, but Robert makes a noise of protest.

“Go with it.”

Aaron does. They shuffle in little circles, and Robert hums  _ The Drifters _ , and they wait for their taxi to take them home.

*

Aaron’s still half asleep when he comes trudging out of the steamy bathroom, just a towel slung around his waist. They’d been putting in long hours at the yard, all back breaking stuff, and he was half tempted to call in sick to Adam if he didn’t think Adam would come and drag him there by his ear.

He’s just slumped back onto the bed when Robert comes bouncing in.  _ Bouncing _ . “Morning!”

“Yeah, so it is,” Aaron grumbles, rifling through the pile of clothes on the bed to try and find something at least semi-clean for work. Robert’s always moaning about it, never believes that Aaron has a fine tuned system going here - and he supposes it's moments like these that prove him right.

“What’s up with your face?”

“I’m tired.”

“Right. Well, I’m buzzing,” Robert says with a clap of his hands. “I just got an email about the Hardford account. They’re taking us on!”

“Nice one.”

“ _ Nice one _ ? Aaron, that’s huge. They’re the biggest - ”

“Yeah, yeah, lots of work, lots of money, lots of things Liv can buy, solid.”

“You  _ are _ grumpy,” Robert teases, and then he’s yanking Aaron up off the bed by his hands, grinning. “I know what’ll cheer you up. Let’s dance.”

“Are you serious?”

“Gets the blood flow going, gets the heart-rate up,”

“You’re doing that by pissing me off,” Aaron gripes, but he doesn’t even have the energy to stop Robert from swinging them in looping circles, the back of his legs hitting against the bed. Their feet knock and Aaron’s towel slips and despite everything else Aaron still allows a smile, all tangled up and spinning around and feeling light.

“Oh my God, you two are so bloody weird.” Liv breaks the reverie from the open door of the bedroom and while Aaron tries to call out, “Language!” Robert’s cackling and pushing him down onto the bed.

“Feel better, Eeyore?”

“Oh, do one,” he protests, kicking out a leg, but Robert stoppers all the rest with a kiss.

They’ll have to close the door, for their next dance.

*

Aaron kicks at the wheel of his car, as if he expects that’s going to help. They’re stranded outside of town with a dead motor and a boot full of perishables and if he has to hear Robert say  _ I told you so _ one more time he’s probably going to have some sort of fit. This is not a good day.

“I told you - ” Robert starts, but Aaron cuts in with a growling,

“ _ Robert _ ,” and he takes the hint.

“Well, there’s nothing we can do from here,” he says as if they hadn’t decided that almost half an hour ago when it started smoking. He stands up from under the bonnet, wiping his hands on his jeans. “It won’t take long for Cain to get here.”

“Yeah. Great.”

Robert has been telling him to get rid of his car for ages, Aaron knows. He’d stopped being a mechanic eons ago but if he put his mind to it he could outsmart Aaron any day of the week. Aaron knows that too. Sometimes he just doesn’t like it.

“Sorry,” he mutters moodily, crossing his arms and slumping against the car. Robert’s answering smirk could almost set him off again.

“Don’t stress about it,” he says, shuffling closer. “You had to listen to me complain about my lunch the other day.”

“Oh God,” Aaron groans, remembering.

“There was no pickle!” Robert protests, but he’s laughing, big and beautiful. “Who has ham and cheese without pickle?”

“She said sorry like, five times.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Robert says, and it’s soft as he steps in, soft as he puts his hands at Aaron’s waist and leans in for a gentle peck. Aaron lets his arms fall to his side, tilting his head so Robert can deepen the kiss. He doesn’t. “You wanna dance?”

“Geez, you takin’ classes or something?”

Robert shrugs. “Nah. But it’s just you and me, a big open road.”

“And you think dancing? Not, like, a quick shag in the backseat?”

Robert lets out a little bark of laughter. It twists sweetly at Aaron’s throat. “With your uncle on his way? No, thanks.”

Robert pulls Aaron out onto the road, and Aaron doesn’t object. He puts Aaron’s hands where he wants them, on the broad expanse of his back, at his waist. It feels silly, and Aaron laughs, ducking his head like a little school kid trying not to upset the teacher. “Maybe you  _ should _ take classes. You like it enough.”

“I never have, actually. Just want to, with you.”

“Soft,” Aaron says but it comes out so quiet and breathy that he’s not sure who he’s talking about. Robert just hushes him, just starts to lead him around the imagined dance floor, kicking at stones and dust.

Aaron puts his head on Robert’s shoulder, and breathes, and even Cain’s smug look when he gets there can’t upset him.

They get by.

*

Aaron’s left to finish up at the pub, after a private function had run late. There’s nuts and beer all over the floor, chairs upturned, and a thick grime across the bar that he doesn’t want to know about. When Chas gets back from her stupid holiday he’s going to have a word to her about hiring the place out to strangers. 

He’s going to have a word to her about her roster, too, because apparently everyone in the world except Aaron gets to clock off at midnight.

“What are you doing?” Robert says quietly from the back, making Aaron jump out of his skin. He gasps.

“Bloody hell - what’s it look like I’m doing?”

“Where’s everyone else?”

“Gone.”

“Why didn’t you call for me?” Robert says, mumbling, padding out into the room wearing a t-shirt and pyjama pants. Aaron thinks they might be his pyjama pants. He can see Robert’s ankles.

“You were asleep.”

“ _ Was _ asleep. Until I realised you weren’t there.”

Aaron shakes his head at him. Trust Robert to get lonely in that tiny little bed. “Right, well, sorry Mr. Hard Done By, I’m kinda busy.”

Robert huffs at him and picks up a nearby rag. The protest is on the tip of Aaron’s tongue, a snippish,  _ don’t bother _ , but he stops himself. If they get the worst of it done they can finish up in the morning before lunch starts.

It’s so quiet, as they work. They’re both too tired for chit chat, and there’s every chance they might wake Liv if they carry on too much. Well, if Aaron carries on. He’s better at it than Robert, these days.

“Hey,” Robert says, a little while later, catching Aaron by the elbow. He’s all sleep-soft and pink in the cheeks and Aaron bites at his lips subconsciously.

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

Aaron rolls his eyes but there's no real teasing in it. “Is this about the dancing?”

Robert’s laugh is just a little huff. “I wasn’t going to say that but now that you mention it, yeah. Let’s dance.”

Aaron rolls his eyes so hard it hurts, and Robert’s so exhausted he ends up sitting on the edge of a table, but they hug tight anyway. They sway to the sound of their breathing.

“I love you, too,” Aaron mumbles at the dip of Robert's throat and Robert makes a little noise.

“You just want to stop dancing.”

“Hmm,” Aaron says. “Nah, you're alright.”

They stay.

*

It was a nice party, all things considered. A little too showy for Aaron’s tastes - despite just being at the hall - but it’s not his do. That’s not his choice. Besides, the band’s pretty good, their set list is more classic rock than modern pop, and while Aaron can appreciate some of the new stuff, it’s not always the best for people to dance to.

“Alright?” he asks Robert when he gets back to their table, handing him his pint. He’s been sullen all day, worrying his fingers and hands at his mouth, like it's safer that way. Like he's worried he might say something he'll regret.

“Fine,” Robert says in a stilted way that suggests he's anything but. He takes a sip of his drink. “Just - you know. Andy.”

“Sure.”

He sighs and slumps forward onto the table. He looks good, his shirt a light blue and his hair looking effortlessly sexy. Aaron resents it a little, even if Robert tells him he likes Aaron’s soft and curly. Aaron hates it. “Honestly, I just don't want to be here.”

“Fair enough.”

“You should go mingle, or whatever,” Robert says, but it's with a smirk like he knows better. “You know, talk to your friends.”

“Nah.”

Aaron's not sure what compels him. There's no one else at their table, and they're by a back wall, where no one really pays attention. So he just leans in enough to kiss Robert, sneaking a hand under his unbuttoned collar to smooth across his skin.

His thumb rests at Robert's collarbone. 

“That was good,” Robert mutters, eyes still closed. He licks his lips and Aaron feels all his blood shoot south, thrilled. “Do that again.”

Aaron just scoffs. “We can go, you know. If you want.”

Robert flutters his eyes open. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Just, first, will you do something for me?”

“Okay?”

Aaron stands up out of his chair with a hand out, the other scratching at his neck.  “Will you dance with me?”

“Are you serious?”

“Nah, I'm having a laugh mate.” Aaron motions with a nod of his head. “Let's go.”

Robert takes his hand, firm, fingers all curled together and warm. Aaron makes a point not to look at anyone's faces, heading out amongst the crowds of people already on the dancefloor. It's not a very slow song, but it will work, and he lets Robert lead as usual.

He breathes.

“This is very,” Robert says at Aaron's ear, “Er, public.”

“Yeah, so?”

“I don't know. That's just not your thing.”

Aaron drops his head with a smile. He feels Robert pull him in a little closer. He feels their toes kick. He feels at home. “You're my thing,” he tells him. “And I know how you feel about dancein'.”

He looks up to see the gentle roll of Robert's eyes. “Right.”

“I just wanted to make your day better.”

Robert's breath hitches a little, looking at Aaron, looking at him like he's just glad he gets to. He ducks in for a kiss, just a press of lips. “You make everything better.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr!](http://thefancyspin.tumblr.com)


End file.
